The Times - Ownership (indsustry)

Ownership of The Times

• Published by the Times Newspapers which is owned by News Corp which is wholly owned by NewsCorp.

• Published by a vertically and horizontally integrated, diversified conglomerate that gives them the power and resources.

NewsCorp

• a global conglomerate with subsidiary companies that seem to be changing - making hundreds of newspapers, magazines, TV programmes and is involved in TV news and film

• Known for publishing right winged content

Why it useful for The Times to be owned by a global company and being fully vertically and horizontally integrated?

• have an enormous amount of money at their disposal

• This means that they can afford to take a few risks like having a paywall on their website might actually repel their audience

• Can help the paper be distributed across the world, using its subsidiary companies to promote it

• A global conglomerate ownership has a lot of power an so can potentially bend rules that other companies cannot - escape scandal

How does vertical and horizontal integration help the times (owned by news corp) minimise risk and maximise profit?

• horizontal integration: news corp owners multiple media outlets (the sun, the Wall Street journal, Fox News) allowing for content sharing, cross-promotion, and a wide reach across different audiences.

• Vertical integration: news corp controls production (journalism), distribution (print, website, app) and marketing. This gives them greater control over the entire supply chain, reducing costs and increasing efficiency.

This structure allows them to :

• Minimise financial risk by spreading investment across multiple platforms and titles.

• Maximise profit through economies if scale and synergy.

• Adapt content and business models (e.g digital subscriptions) to meet audience expectations and stay competitive.

Hemsmondhalgh: The Times uses its brand prestige and NewsCorp’s integrated structure to maintain stability in a risky industry.

Who is the Chief Executive of NewsCorp?

• global billionaire

• Conservative

• His friendship with trump and support of the Republican Party and conservatives politics, might suggest his papers could reflect his own

• However, NewsCorp and its subsidiaries SAY they try and politically ‘neutral’ and that they embrace all political views

Why is The Times considered more centre-right despite being owned by NewsCorp, a right-winged media company?

• When NewsCorp (Murdoch) bought The Times, the UK government restricted editorial control to prevent monopoly concerns.

How does the heritage of The Times influence its journalistic tone?

• first published in 1785, The Times is known for high-quality journalism.

• Its prestige and global reputation discourage it from adopting the sensationalist or politically extreme tone sen in other News Corp outlets (e.g The Sun, Fox News).